As the holidays vear closer and closer, my schedule has become so jam-packed full of events and things like that recently. After this week, I am going to take a break from my blog to enjoy Thanksgiving break. I feel that in order for me to write great content, that you all will enjoy, I need a new start and a break from it all once in awhile to spark more inspiration. I'll be back in a week for Christmas and all of that but, I think I'm going to take some time off from here.
Anyway, I had to make a quick shop for some of my favorite skincare products that I have been loving and using constantly. Is it bad that I get excited when I run out of these things so, I can buy more? Nah.
The first thing I ran out of was this Body Shop Body Butter in Mango--my all time favorite scent from the Body Shop. It honestly smells so delicious and their body butters are incredibly moisturizing on the skin. I use this every night and love it so much. The best part about it was that I only bought it for $6 compared to the original price of $22 at TJ Maxx! Whatever you do, do not buy it for that insane price and go get it for practically free there.
The next thing I bought was another one of the Simple Micellar Waters. It was last year when I really got into micellar waters and I have tried the Garnier Micellar one and have been switching back and forth. I noticed that they had come out with a larger 13.5 fl oz size and was very happy about it since I use it every morning to wash and cleanse my face. It's great for when you don't have enough time to pull out all of your face washes and moisturizers because it cleanses and hydrates at the same time.
A common known product, the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes, have been in my skincare collection since middle school. You can't go wrong with makeup wipes (even if they're like banned by all makeup gurus because they don't actually "cleanse" your face). On those really late nights, though, everyone can agree that taking off your makeup is the last thing you want to do. These are also great for travelling in case you need to touch up your makeup on the plane or some disaster occurs and messes up all of your makeup.
I feel like once you've found the best or right products for your skin type, there seems to be no going back. I hope I will find more products that I will use on the daily like these three but, I do love these dearly. I think a lot of people have their go-to face and body products that they keep on repurchasing; comment below which products you can't seem to stop buying like me down below! Have a great week guys.
Xoxo, Nat
Wearing false lashes has been a great fear of mine. You'd think since I love makeup so much that I would be familiar with them but, boy, do I avoid these at all costs! I envy everyone that can perfectly apply these and make their lashes look butterfly-like.
I thought I would take it upon myself and try to attempt them. Based off of many Youtube tutorials and advice, I have tried to at least get the lashes on my eyelid and nowhere else on my face. I thought this would be a very open and honest experience and wanted to do this for all of you (like me) who are scared or skeptical about trying false lashes for the first time.
When I walked into my local CVS Pharmacy to get these lashes, I was a bit overwhelmed with the different types and sizes. I knew, though, that I wanted "natural", or whatever that meant because they're obviously not natural. I wanted to try a couple different types to see how the cheaper ones compare to the more expensive ones.
The Lashes
e.l.f. Natural Lash Kit- $2.00
My first thought of these lashes was that they did not, whatsoever, look like "natural" lashes. These were the ones I used in the picture below. For two dollar lashes, I guess I expected them to not be as high quality compared to the Ardell lashes; the lashes looked like cellophane almost and the band was very flimsy and hard to apply glue on. It did include glue but, I was a bit skeptical about the quality of it. I would say, though, that these would work well if you wanted to achieve some type of costume/Halloween look. I don't think these are worth it if you are wanting a natural eye look.
These Makeup Academy lashes actually really impressed me. They were a bit more expensive than the elf ones but, really looked natural. They felt real and looked real. I actually used these ones for a Fawn makeup look over Halloween a couple weeks ago. I think these are really worth the extra three bucks! I would wear these every day if I could.
Ardell Deluxe Pack Lashes- $7.99 ($4.99 ea)
I have heard raves about these lashes and I wanted to see what it was all about! I bought this deluxe pack because I think you really do get more for your money. You get two sets of lashes, really handy tweezers, and a mini bottle of Duo glue which I thought was better than using the elf glue that came with those lashes. I think these could also be great to use to create a natural and more amped up look. For the same price as the MUA lashes, these are another great alternative.
The Application
For my first try, I think I did a pretty good job. It took a while to figure out the right way to do it and I am not exactly sure that I did it the right way but, let me explain what I did. I just used the elf lashes for my absolute first try so I wouldn't waste the other ones. However, I did use the Ardell tweezers and the Duo lash glue.
So, after watching some tutorials, the first thing I was told to do was to make sure you had the right glue and the right lashes for each eye. Check. Then it said to make sure the lashes fit your eye and cut off the ends so they are easily matched up. Check. Then, with your lash glue, it said to carefully add a thin layer of glue and wait for about 30 seconds for it to get "tacky" or whatever that's supposed to mean. Check.
After I waited a couple seconds, I lined up the lashes on the center of my lid closest to my upper lash line. I used the really helpful tweezers I got and pushed them down a bit. I noticed that the ends were coming up so I could have trimmed them down more and i didn't get very close to the lash line because my arm was in the way as I was struggling to see where I was applying it.
The Final Thoughts
I have only thought of false lashes and their correlation with beauty pageants and costume makeup. Never did I ever think that they could be worn during the day on a normal basis. This experience has opened my eyes (literally) and I think that they aren't that scary to use, even if they seem intimidating at first.
With practice, I think they can actually be fun to use to add a little drama to your look. Do I think they look natural? No. But, I think they're fun when used correctly. Even if you're not that psyched about the big lashes, try individual lashes to start and add a tiny bit of volume to your lashes.
Would I wear these on the daily? Eh, probably not. I know for a fact that I am not scared to use these more often now, especially for events and performances. I hope that I get better at applying them and I can continue to find better options for you guys!
If you have used lashes before, let me know in the comments what your favorite lashes are and your story with using them for the first time! If you're new to lashes, I hope you know that you are definitely not alone. They're not easy to start using so please don't feel bad if you're having trouble with them.
On a very different note (lashes aside), I hope everybody has a great day, and the results of the election (if you are a US citizen) does not affect the love and hope I have for every one of you. Please know that I am here to talk to if you would like to chat and please feel free to email me.
Xoxo, Nat
It's been awhile since I have been to a Lush store. The one closest to me had to close for remodeling and I have really been missing out on all of the new Lush products being released. I was so jealous of everybody who had access to them! Thankfully, over the past month, our Lush has reopened and is bigger and better than ever. I always find Lush stores (or at least the ones I've been in) to be incredibly cramped and packed with people. It was a much needed renovation but, took the whole summer to redo! At last, I was able to go visit the new store and picked up a couple bits.
The first thing that I have been dying to use is the Yoga Bomb. Of course I have been wanting to use it! I do yoga and it has everything you would want in a bath bomb after you do yoga! Infused with essential oils to calm you, this bomb has notes of sandalwood and ho wood oils that add more of a sweetness to it. Sounds inviting after a hard vinyasa flow!
Whenever I can go into Lush, I try to pick up a new face mask. I love their promotional deal when you use five pots and bring them back, you get a free mask. Their masks are incredibly fresh and they have so many for every skin type. This Cupcake face mask was created for acne prone and oily skin (keeping teenagers in mind). I love how smooth this makes my skin and how it gets rid of any dirt or grime in my pores.
I was in the mood for another bath bomb that was more fall based; I saw this beautiful Autumn Leaf bath bomb and was instantly pulled in. The website says that it's made with sandalwood, bergamot, and neroli oils. It really does smell crisp like autumn leaves. Imagine jumping into a huge leaf pile and rolling around in them--that's what it smells like. I can't wait to see what the colors look like in the bath! I love Lushes bath bombs because they're self preserving and last a very long time (without the harsh, synthetic preservatives). You can save it for whenever you're feeling stressed or just need a pick me up on those days.
I am really looking forward to Lush's Christmas collection and all of their festive scents! What have been some Lush products you guys have been dying over? Any ones I should try next?
Xoxo, Nat
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